Conduct DisorderNCT07849985
Anhedonia Beyond Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents With Conduct Disorder
An observational study of Conduct Disorder and Depression, run by Assiut University.
Trial summary
Conduct Disorder (CD) is a common psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents and is characterized by a persistent pattern of behaviors that violate the rights of others or major age-appropriate social norms and rules. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 12 to 17 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Conduct Disorder, Depression
- How many people
- 90 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Oct 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 12 to 17 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child
Study population: Participants aged 12-17 years will be recruited consecutively from the outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry service. Participants meeting criteria for Conduct Disorder will form the clinical group. Healthy controls of comparable age, sex, and socioeconomic status will be recruited from community or school settings. ADHD comorbidity will be assessed within the Conduct Disorder group
Who may be able to join
- Age 12-17 years.
- CD groups: meeting DSM-5 criteria for Conduct Disorder confirmed using the Arabic K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5.
- Control group: no current or previous psychiatric diagnosis according to the Arabic K-SADS-PL-C DSM-5.
- Ability to understand and complete the assessment procedures.
- Written informed consent from a parent/legal guardian and written assent from the adolescent.
Who cannot join
- • Intellectual disability or severe cognitive impairment interfering with reliable assessment.
- Autism spectrum disorder or severe neurodevelopmental disorder interfering with self-report.
- Current psychotic disorder.
- Current or past bipolar I disorder or manic episode.
- Current major depressive episode meeting full diagnostic criteria.
- Current severe substance use disorder.
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- Known neurological disorder, including epilepsy or severe traumatic brain injury.
- Major uncontrolled medical condition likely to substantially affect mood or hedonic functioning.
- Current medication expected to substantially affect reward processing or anhedonia, where clinically relevant.
- Acute suicidal risk or psychiatric condition requiring immediate crisis intervention/hospitalization.
- Refusal to participate or inability to complete the assessment. Stable stimulant treatment for ADHD may be permitted when clinically necessary and will be recorded as a covariate.
About this study
Conduct Disorder (CD) is a common psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents and is characterized by a persistent pattern of behaviors that violate the rights of others or major age-appropriate social norms and rules. Although CD is traditionally classified as an externalizing disorder, evidence suggests that some affected adolescents also show abnormalities in emotional and motivational processing, particularly in reward and punishment responsiveness. Anhedonia, defined as reduced ability to experience pleasure, is traditionally considered a core symptom of depression but is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic construct that may reflect disturbances in reward processing. Importantly, altered reward responsiveness is not synonymous with clinical anhedonia, and clinically measured anhedonia in adolescents with CD remains insufficiently characterized. Depressive symptoms may contribute to anhedonia and therefore require assessment and statistical control. ADHD is also frequently comorbid with CD and may independently influence reward processing and motivation. Callous-Unemotional traits may additionally overlap with emotional blunting. Therefore, the present study will compare anhedonia in adolescents with CD with or without comorbid ADHD, and healthy controls, while accounting for depressive symptoms and relevant clinical covariates.
- Conditions
- Conduct Disorder, Depression
- Medical subject headings
- Conduct Disorder, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| cases group | Participants meeting criteria for Conduct Disorder | |
| control group | healthy control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
SHAPS total score
SHAPS total score, representing overall anhedonia severity
Measured: baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Sep 2026
- Study startOct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Conduct DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Assiut UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Assiut University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Katreen Maher, Assiut University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07849985
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Depression Children&Adolescen
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 24 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Anhedonia Beyond Depressive Symptoms in Children and Adolescents With Conduct Disorder
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07849985
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Depression Children&Adolescen
- Conditions
- Conduct Disorder, Depression
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 90 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Assiut UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 30 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Conduct Disorder (CD) is a common psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents and is characterized by a persistent pattern of behaviors that violate the rights of others or major age-appropriate social norms and rules. Although CD is traditionally classified as an externalizing disorder, evidence suggests that some affected adolescents also show abnormalities in emotional and motivational processing, particularly in reward and punishment responsiveness. Anhedonia, defined as reduced ability to experience pleasure, is traditionally considered a core symptom of depression but is increasingly recognized as a transdiagnostic construct that may reflect disturbances in reward processing. Importantly, altered reward responsiveness is not synonymous with clinical anhedonia, and clinically measured anhedonia in adolescents with CD remains insufficiently characterized. Depressive symptoms may contribute to anhedonia and therefore require assessment and statistical control. ADHD is also frequently comorbid with CD and may independently influence reward processing and motivation. Callous-Unemotional traits may additionally overlap with emotional blunting. Therefore, the present study will compare anhedonia in adolescents with CD with or without comorbid ADHD, and healthy controls, while accounting for depressive symptoms and relevant clinical covariates.
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| cases group | – | –Participants meeting criteria for Conduct Disorder |
| control group | – | –healthy control |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 12 to 17 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child
- Study population
- Participants aged 12-17 years will be recruited consecutively from the outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry service. Participants meeting criteria for Conduct Disorder will form the clinical group. Healthy controls of comparable age, sex, and socioeconomic status will be recruited from community or school settings. ADHD comorbidity will be assessed within the Conduct Disorder group
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age 12-17 years.
Key exclusion criteria (11 listed)
- • Intellectual disability or severe cognitive impairment interfering with reliable assessment.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
SHAPS total score
Time frame: baseline
SHAPS total score, representing overall anhedonia severity
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Sep 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Conduct Disorder and Depression, run by Assiut University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 11 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
SHAPS total score (time frame: baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 8 Nov 2026.